The technical field of invention relates to portable hunting blinds. More particularly, the present invention pertains to methods and designs for a highly portable, very lightweight, self-standing hunting blind.
Different designs for hunting blinds used for concealing a hunter from deer, ducks, coyote, turkey, and other game animals have been disclosed in various publications and products. The different designs provide various features and capabilities. Several portable deer blind designs comprise tent-like structure and materials, often using sewn panels of camouflage patterned thin polyester or nylon fabrics, mesh shoot-through window panels, and single-configuration tent-like interconnected poles. One such blind is the Ameristep Care Taker blind, which is a substantially square 2-person tent-like structure comprising a camouflage patterned thin fabric roof and sides with mesh windows over interconnected poles. The blind is set up in the same way a standard camping tent is set up. An internal construction of single-configuration/single-purpose interconnected tent-poles is opened within the polyester or nylon fabric shell or tent to create a single-purpose enclosed interior space within the blind. The blind is collapsed in the same way a standard camping tent is taken down. The single-purpose designed interconnected poles are collapsed, and the fabric material is folded up. When set up, the blind is approximately 69 inches tall and has foot print of approximately 60 by 60 inches. The blind weighs approximately 16 lbs.
Other designs comprise open-sided, uncovered ground blinds comprising a number of side panels that, when set up, provide concealment of the hunter to game only on one side, leaving the area behind the hunter exposed to the environment. One such blind is the Cut N Run 2-panel blind by Rhino Blinds, which comprises two panels approximately 56 inches in height that extend horizontally approximately 112 inches (when positioned fully open (or flat) at 180 degrees from one another). The panels comprise a fabric with window openings cut into them, along with interconnected poles to provide structure. The blind includes substantially straight side and top edges. The weight is approximately 8 lbs.
Another portable hunting blind is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,579,007 by Pottmeyer et al., assigned to GhostBlind Industries, Inc. (hereinafter, GhostBlind). A version of the GhostBlind product comprising 4-panels, has a height of approximately 46 inches, a (flat or fully open) width of 102 inches, and a weight of approximately 8 lbs. The panels may be set up in a semi-circle or arch to provide concealment of the areas in front of the hunter and leaving the areas behind the hunter exposed. Each panel is rigid and incorporates a reflective exterior mirror finish for reflecting the exterior environment. The panels are intended to be set up with an outward angle so that the exterior surface of the panels reflect greater portions of the ground in front of the blind instead of potentially portions of sky. When set up, the blind comprises an open-sided, uncovered ground blind for providing concealment of the hunter to game only on one side. The blind may be collapsed by folding each of the panels together like leaves in a book, with the collapsed blind comprising a rigid stack of panels.
Each of the existing portable hunting blind designs has disadvantages in terms of cost, complexity of design, ease of use, feature content, method of recommended and actual use, form factor and ergonomics of the device, design aesthetics, and/or other factors. What is needed are designs for a portable hunting blind, that address one or more disadvantage of existing designs.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.